Midterm season is upon us, and everywhere you look stress is in human form. Students are sick of stress and are finding new and innovative ways of coping with stress.

According to dictionary.com, stress is a mentally or emotionally disruptive or upsetting condition occurring in response to adverse external influences and capable of affecting physical health, usually characterized by increased heart rate, a rise in blood pressure, muscular tension, irritability, and depression.

"I am pretty stressed out, but I am not doing anything about it. I am just praying for Spring Break. When I do get stressed, I play pool. I also feel like staying on top of my studying and getting the work done relieves some of my stress," said Gabe Garcia, sophomore, Coram, N.Y.

Other than finals, midterms are probably one of the most stressful times in a college student's life. They have to deal with the course work, tests, projects, and papers.

"I'm not really that stressed. I don't even have any real midterms. It's just that all of my professors pile the work on really hard this week. So I guess on a scale of one to 10 I'm about a six. And to combat my stress I'm just staying on top of my work," said Erica Vasaturo, sophomore, Staten Island, N.Y.

Even the calmest person can become frazzled during midterm week. It is important to stay composed and try not to let the stress get to your head. Luckily, many students are turning to a variety of ways to help cope with the stress of midterms. Some good stress relievers are exercising, meditation and going for a walk.

"Food is absolutely the best relief for stress. Go to Roncalli and get a quesadilla," said Sam Cerami, freshman, Mahwah, N.J.

"When I am stressed, I hang out with friends and totally forget about the midterms or projects for a little bit. Like tonight, I went to a really good concert," said Jen Murphy, junior, Milford.

Many experts such as those at the Mind/Body Medical Institute, which is based in Chestnut Hill, Mass., feel that there are many ways in which you can relax yourself. This relaxation exercise taken from their website, helps to slowly relax the tension in your body. Progressive muscle relaxation is a gentle way to nurture the beleaguered body and mind when the burdens of work take their toll.

Sit quietly and scan the body from head to toe. Focus on areas of tension during the inhale and release tension on the exhale. During progressive muscle relaxation, tighten each area of the body. When you purposely release tension from those areas, the feeling of relief is often more noticeable.

Exercise is a common stress reliever on campus. Many students utilize the Pitt Center to release their nervous tension They have many different classes, and students also utilize the weights and other gym equipment.

"It's not so much the midterms themselves that are stressing me out, its more being able to do well on the midterms while juggling all the other aspects of my life such as RA stuff, my internship, and make up work. To combat the stress I am hitting the gym first thing tomorrow morning to work out any anxiety," said Heather Bernard, senior, Griswold.

"I like to exercise, especially run when I'm stressed," said Jess Boy, junior, Saugus, Mass.

There are many different ways that students deal with midterm stress. Some involve exercise into their routine, others eat their favorite foods, some just do their work, and still others just try to relax by hanging out with their friends. There are many ways to cope with stress.

In order to find the best one for you, experiment and hopefully you will come up with something that will help you deal with the stress of midterm week.